Goodnight and Farewell, Zack
by smilingxqueen
Summary: “I waited for him… but he never came.” SPOILER WARNING! May contain Crisis Core spoilers, enter if you dare! XD [CloudxAerith with a hint of Zeris] Enjoy!


Author's notes: I suggest you listen to Why by Ayaka while reading this piece... Reason? -- Nan demo nai!! Hehehe!! XD

Disclaimer: I do not, I repeat, do not own anything except for the plot! Yosh! Let's continue...

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"I waited for him… but he never came." There was a hint of sadness in her voice. Something that would seem so wrong coming out from anyone especially her. He held up a hand to caress her pale face but something held him back. He thought tears would trickle down her beautiful green eyes but in spite of all she remained happy. She gazed up into his sapphire eyes and smiled.

"Let's go and meet the others Cloud!"

She stood up and she held his gloved hand. For a moment he could feel the warmth of her touch beneath the hard, leather covering that nestled his pale hand. He felt the warmth that he had never felt before since he first came into the dull city of Midgar. He never expected he'd come to meet such an extraordinarily unique woman like her. How her green eyes would sparkle when he made that joke, how her brown hair was swept by the wind and how her rosy lips would curve into a smile when she caught him stealing a look at her. She was indeed different. Different from any other girl he knew. She was special.

.-+-.

"Hello?" Her heart skipped when the man moaned. He had black spiky hair and unusual clothing. He fell from the roof just a few moments ago and seems to be unconscious. There was something was about this man that made her anxious and she was desperate to find out what. "It worked!"

The man opened his eyes revealing a pair of bluish-green orbs.

"Is this heaven?" he croaked.

"Unfortunately, no." She giggled at his silly thought. "This is a church in the slums."

The man sat up and he stared at the beautiful girl in front of him.

"An angel…?"

She smiled and quickly shook her head.

"My name's Aerith." She twirled and pointed at the big hole in the roof. "You… fell from the roof."

She turned to him and smiled again. "It surprised me."

.-+-.

"Zack… where are you?"

Zack 1st Class Soldier. He was the spiky black haired man she had feelings for a few years back. The first man who fell from the roof and into her life.

.-+-.

"My name's Zack."

Aerith watched the man before her. He was different from any other man she met. She just knew. There was a feeling deep inside her heart that he's… different.

"C'mon, let me thank you."

Aerith came to her senses and she shook her head.

"No, no need to do that."

The man named Zack turned away from her and rested his knuckle on his chin in deep thought. The girl stared at his back, mesmerized. Then the man twirled around and raised a finger.

"Hey! How bout a date?"

"Why that?"

She clasped her hands behind her and averted her gaze to the flowers.

"That's silly."

.-+-.

Meeting him was a very special memory in her life. Zack… The one who gave her the pink ribbon she wears now. The one who suggested her to sell flowers in the slums. The one who protected her from any kind of harm she encountered. Slowly… she began to fall for the man who almost crushed her flowers. It was a warm feeling for Zack had loved her too. She prayed every day and night for him. And when he was assigned to Nibelheim her heart would break for Nibelheim was far from Midgar, far from her. But she tried to reach him. She tried to make things work out.

.-+-.

She played the cord of the telephone between her fingers. It had been months since she heard his voice and she was hesitant to hear it again. She called him through a payphone in Wall Market using the money she had earned of selling flowers.

"Hello? Hello?"

"Aerith!?"

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard his cool voice. It was relieving to know that he is fine.

"I finally got through!"

"Hey, I'm sorry but, I'm in the middle of a confusing mess right now. I'll call you back later."

Her heart fell when he said those words. For how long she had waited to hear his voice. If only for a short while… she could have the chance to be with him again. But she knew his duties as a First Rank Soldier.

"No, it's okay. You don't have to."

"I got it. I'll come see you."

She smiled at his words. At last, they would be together again. All she needs to do is wait for his return.

"I"ll be waiting."

"Yea, it's a promise."

.-+-.

"But he never came…"

It was a cloudy day at the Sleeping Forest. Everything was dull and gray. Not a light nor a feeling of warmth. Looking through her dark green eyes made him added to the melancholic environment.

"Zack…" He tried to remember. There was a feeling inside him that he knew. The man that Aerith's referring to. He must have known him…

_I couldn't leave you hanging. Were friends right?_

His blue eyes widened.

_My pride, my dreams… Have them all._

Tears began to trickle down his cheeks as he reminisced those words. The face and the same Mako-infused eyes. His best friend, Zack.

"Cloud?"

She noticed the tears that fell on the blonde man's pale cheeks.

"I think I know the person you are referring to, Aerith."

Aerith's emerald eyes widened in surprise.

"Zack? Do you know him? Tell me, Cloud! Is he fine? Is he ok?"

Tears also began to form in the flower girl's eyes. Cloud's face was downcast as he muttered the words that stopped Aerith's world. The tears that she saved for the years that she waited for him poured like the gentle rain that began to fall from the sky. Cloud glanced at the weeping woman beside him and he encircled his arms around her… giving her warmth.

"Why? How could he die?"

Cloud held her tighter as his own heart melted at the sight of her crying.

"You should blame me, Aerith… I didn't do anything. I just sat there watching him shot down." He clenched his teeth as his tears flowed freely down his cheeks. "If only I had the strength of a true Soldier I should've saved him! Forgive me, Aerith…"

"Don't…"

Aerith slowly shook her head. Cloud gazed down at the flower girl.

"Don't blame yourself, Cloud. You didn't want that to happen. No one did."

The flower girl looked up to him, smiling. The rain stopped pouring and the first rays of the sun shone upon their drenched bodies.

"I'm just happy that I knew what happened… to him. Zack would always be in my heart, Cloud. I'm sure that he's at peace now. Of all the hardships, all the sufferings… At last, he's free."

Aerith brushed away the tears that fell from the blonde's blue eyes. Cloud slowly buried his head in the flower girl's hair smelling the scent of the flowers, remembering the time he fell through the roof of the church… her church.

"His last words were… If you meet Aerith."

The flower girl's eyes widened. Cloud withdrew and he faced her, smiling.

"Please, take care of her. And that's exactly what I want to do. I swear Zack's sacrifice wont be turned for nothing. I'll protect you with my life if I have to. Aerith…"

Cloud leaned towards her and his lips met hers.

.-+-.

Zack… wherever you are now.

Thank you.

For bringing him to me.


End file.
